Nicole walked into the police station later that morning. Clive was sitting at his desk in the back. He looked up and glared at her. She just smiled at him. The cop sitting at the front desk looked up and his eyes settled on her throat. His eyebrows rose. "What happened to you? Do you need to charge that boy with domestic violence?"

She noticed the man was the same one who'd seen her at Ashton's house. "I'm Nicole. You are?" Her voice was still a little hoarse.

He sat up straighter. "Officer Norman Bishop."

She leaned forward, smiling at him. "Well, Officer Bishop," she told him in a low voice that made him lean closer. "I'd press charges, except your boss would have a hard time arresting himself."

He licked his lips quickly before meeting her gaze, perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

She frowned. "Clive did this. Last night, he sent Mason home and did this to me."

Norman shook his head. "He wouldn't." He wasn't arguing, she noticed. He was simply saying it.

She straightened up. "If you say so." She walked to Clive. He didn't say anything, so she smiled. "I thought I'd get a hello. What's the matter, sir? Cat got your tongue?"

He burned her with a glare. "My tongue is fine." He sounded as if his mouth was full.

She nodded as she sat down. "I'm willing to put what happened last night behind us, but only on one condition: Mason and I continue to work together."

He regarded her with amusement. "I thought we'd already agreed to this. Silently, but still."

She shrugged. "I just want to make sure we're in agreement. He's the only one here that's kind to me and I trust. I'd hate to suddenly end up working with someone else. Speaking of which, what would you like me to tell you about Ashton, or retrieve for you from him?"

Clive sat back and looked up at the ceiling. After a moment he looked back at her. "Fine, for now. If I find he's lying to me – or you are – you're both going to be sorry." She fought smiling. "As for Ashton, I need you to bring me the chemicals he has at his house. I also need you to bring me anything that has a questionable origin."

She nodded, unsure what he was alluding to. "Will do. I'll be back."

On the walk to Ashton's house, she contemplated just what he meant. By the time she arrived she was pretty sure she understood what he meant, that he was framing Ashton. She ran up the steps and gave a knock, even though she was turning the knob. She stepped in and was nearly knocked back out the door when a little girl ran up and hugged her legs.

Ella looked up at her with a big smile. Ashton, grinning, appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. "We heard you knock and she had to come say hi."

Nicole grinned and got down to return the hug. Ella's arms went around Nicole's neck, so she picked her up when she stood. "Have you been good for Ash?" she asked.

Ella nodded. "Ashton has been playing with me."

"What's he been playing?"

"Barbies."

She looked, amused, at Ashton. "Has he really?" He blushed and shrugged as the girl enthusiastically nodded. "Is he any good at it?"

Ella giggled. "He's funny."

"Really? Can I play, too?"

Again, she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes."

Nicole laughed, kissed her head and carried her over to Ashton. "Where are we playing?"

Face still a little red, he nodded to the hallway and led her into the front room. About five dolls were laid out and extra clothes were strewn about. "We were in the middle of school," he explained as he sat on the floor cross-legged.

Nicole sat Ella on the floor and sat next to Ashton, knees touching. For the next three hours she forgot why she was there while she played with Ashton and Ella and acted silly and danced silly to whatever Ella wanted to listen to.

Tired, she finally sat on the sofa next to Ashton, his arm around her shoulders. Ella had decided she was going to draw pictures for them. While she was stretched out on the floor, Ashton and Nicole were whispering to each other as they watched.

"You're good with her," he said, nose in her hair again.

"You're an awesome big brother," she responded.

He gave a breathy laugh. "No, I'm the best big brother."

She laughed at that. "Okay, fine, you're the world's best big brother."

He pulled back where he could see her face. "Why did you come over earlier? Missed me?" He gave her a smile that was both teasing and serious.

"Of course." Then her smile fell. "But there's something else. Your dad sent me."

His smile fell and he grew serious. "Why were you back there?"

She frowned. "I know I shouldn't have, but I went back to see what was going on with Mason. We do need him in there. I made a deal with him, that I would overlook what he did if he let me continue to work with Mason for him. That was when he told me to come back here and get him some stuff."

His eyebrows lowered. He looked worried. Maybe even a little scared. "Get what?"

"Cleaners and anything that has a 'questionable origin'."

"I knew someone had been in here," he said in a barely audible voice.

Ella ran up with her drawing. "This is for you, Nikki!" Nicole grinned and took it.

It was a picture of her and Ashton holding hands with Ella between them. "This is beautiful, Ella, just like the artist." The little girl grinned and giggled as she left to go do another drawing. Nicole showed it to Ashton, who forced a brief smile, but his eyes were troubled. "What's wrong?"

He leaned forward and put his lips to her ear. "When I got back this morning with Ella, I noticed that some things had been moved, but I haven't been through my stuff. I haven't had a break to do it. If you stay in here with Ella, I'll go poke around." He pulled back.

She nodded. "Okay." He nodded and got up. She watched Ella while she listened to him open and close various things. At one point there was a small crash. She flinched and Ella's head jerked up.

"Where's Ash?"

"He's looking for something," she answered. "Go back to drawing – he'll be back in a minute." With a nod, Ella went back to what she was doing.

"Nikki." She turned. Ashton was smiling and motioning for her to come. "Can I speak to you for just a moment in private?" She stood and walked over. He turned his smile to his sister. "You stay here, and we'll be back in a few minutes, okay?" She nodded without looking up. Ashton grabbed Nicole's arm and pulled her roughly behind him into the kitchen. He angrily pointed at the table.

She turned. A pile of cleaners, a beaker, something in a bottle, and latex gloves with a breathing mask sat on the table. "Where did that come from?"

He sighed impatiently. "Where do you think?" He shook his head and paced around the table. "Look at it all! This isn't stuff I would keep around! Not with Ella coming over on the weekends!" He turned his face to her. Panic and fear were mingling there. It made Nicole's heart hurt to see him like this. "He did this. I know it. He had to."

She walked over and gently gripped his arms. "Ashton, I know he put this here. I trust you, I believe you, and I love you. You don't need to try to convince me of anything, okay?" She kissed his cheek. "I need to take at least some of this stuff down to Clive, but not everything. I'll give some excuse. Maybe we won't have to give up anything else. Okay?"

He nodded, his eyes not quite meeting hers. "Okay." His arms reached out and pulled her to him. He buried his face in her hair. She felt how tense his shoulders were and felt bad for him. For as glad as she was it wasn't her being blamed, she would prefer it to having him scared and worried like this.

After a minute or so, Ella called them. Ashton let her go and walked briskly into the front room. She followed, only to tell Ella she needed to go, and then she went back out the back door, taking a few of the bottles of cleaner. She'd just tell Clive she couldn't go through everything while Ella was there.

Clive didn't look as happy as she'd hoped when she sat the three bottles on his desk. "That's all?"

She shook her head. "Ella was there, so I couldn't carry much off. I did see a beaker and a bottle, but I was distracted before I could see what the label said."

He nodded. "Well, get the rest of it tomorrow when he's taking her back. Bring it to me. If it's what I think it is, we'll be able to process it and make an arrest by tomorrow afternoon. That will make us all feel just a little safer. Don't you agree?" His head was cocked as he studied her with narrow, expectant eyes.

She forced a nod. "Don't worry – I'll get it."